I sometimes think: if I had been living in the first century, I would have been an eager follower of Jesus of Nazareth. But I am not so sure. The gospel accounts reveal how hard it was for people to reconcile what they imagined the Messiah would be like with the rather unremarkable son of Joseph. Even the disciples were often unsure about the identity of their teacher, especially when things went horribly wrong during the Passover celebration. Before they could really grasp the severity of the situation, Jesus was arrested and executed. Not surprisingly, most of them scattered. Jesus was gone. His death - a public, ignoble affair - dealt the final blow. Their loyalty was now a cause for mockery. Their constant companion for the past three years was no longer with them. Or so they thought.
In the thick of all their disappointment and grief, they failed to see what Jesus had been trying to show them all along: that the Messiah came to serve and to love, even when it cost him his life. When Jesus was at his weakest, bloodied and in pain, breathing his last breath, shamed in public for disturbing the powers of Rome and the Temple, the glory of God was in full display. This was so hard for them to see and it is the same for many of us today. Eugene Peterson notes: "The God who in majesty, strength, and wisdom is beyond our imaginations has chosen to work primarily as a servant who is almost beneath our imaginations, so far beneath we don't even notice him." [1]
In order to better recognize Jesus, we almost have to "under-imagine" God, to look closely at things which, at first glance, seem insignificant, mundane, ordinary, or even repulsive. Yes, Jesus also appears in situations and forms which are wildly splendid, breathtaking, and glorious, but we cannot ignore the fact that most of his ministry was spent training people to see God in the unlikely places. Are we willing to undergo this training as well? Yes? Well, there are clues scattered throughout the scriptures meant to help us recognize the presence of Jesus. Here are a few to get us started.
1. Nature/creation: "Everything was created through him [Jesus, the Word who was God]; nothing - not one thing! - came into being without him" (John 1, The Message). Every time we look at the sun, the moon, the sky, the ocean, the trees, the grass, the flowers, cows, birds, bees, cats, dogs, etc., we are reminded of Jesus, the giver of life in all its forms.
2. Lion: In Revelation 5, there is a reference to the lion of the tribe of Judah. This is commonly understood to be Jesus. In the series, The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis famously used Aslan the lion to represent Jesus Christ. The lion embodies strength, majesty, provision, and protection. When we see a lion, we are reminded of Jesus, the strong protector.
3. Lamb: In a previous post, I mentioned the use of the sacrificial lamb as a metaphor for Jesus (Where is Jesus Part 1). The lamb, dependent on its mother for nourishment and care, is a picture of vulnerability and need, and it is a picture of Jesus.
4. Servant: Jesus tells his followers that he did not come to be served but to serve (Matt. 20:28). When we encounter anyone serving us (waiters, janitors, housekeeping personnel, airline staff, cab drivers, cashiers, the person we call for help when our computer breaks, etc.), they are showing us the nature of Jesus.
5. Mother hen: Jesus uses the image of a mother hen gathering her chicks to describe his posture toward the wayward people of Jerusalem (Matt. 23:37). Whenever we see a mother hen (or other animal) calling her young to herself, calling them to come home, we are reminded of Jesus.
6. Child: During the Christmas season, we celebrate the humble birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (Luke 3:22). A newborn infant is humanity at its most defenseless, powerless, and needy. This is Jesus in the midst of us.
7. Vine: Many of us enjoy eating grapes or drinking a glass of wine. Jesus identified himself as the vine and his followers as the branches (John 15:5). During the Passover feast with his followers, Jesus took the cup of wine and equated it with his life-blood. I have visited a few vineyards and I have to admit that grapevines are not that impressive: all gnarled and twisting, needing support to grow properly. But the rather unattractive vine is the source of nourishment for plump and tasty grapes. When we see a grapevine or enjoy a glass of wine or partake in the communion meal, we are reminded that good fruit and a flourishing life come by being joined to Jesus.
8. Snake: We often associate a snake with the devil due to the tempting serpent found in Genesis 3. However, the snake is also a symbol of healing. The Hebrew people were beset by poisonous snakes in the wilderness (Numbers 21:4-9). God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent and raise it up on a pole so that people could look at it and be healed. Jesus connects himself to this image of the snake when he says: "And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal life" (John 3:14). Next time you see a snake, perhaps you will be reminded of Jesus, our healer.
9. King: In Revelation, the title of King of Kings and Lord of Lords is assigned to Christ (Rev. 19:16). This is reminiscent of the sign Pilate had posted on the cross when Jesus was executed: "This is Jesus, King of the Jews." It was meant as an indictment or charge against him, but it also served as a sober reminder that even though he was the King of the Jews, people did not recognize him as such. May we recognize Jesus the King, even in unlikely disguises.
10. Father: Jesus is twice identified as the beloved son of God by a voice from above (Mark 1:11; Mark 9:7). However, Jesus indicates that the bond between divine Father and Son is so close that they are one (John 10:30). In Isaiah 9:6, we see the Messiah first identified as a child, then as the everlasting father. Whenever we see a loving father and child, we see an image of Jesus the beloved son and Jesus the loving parent.
11. Peacemaker: At the birth of Jesus, the angels declared, "Peace on earth." Jesus stated that he was bringing peace (John 14:27), but not like the world brings peace (which would have been the enforced military rule of Pax Romana). The Messiah is also referred to as the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). Whenever we see people working for peace and peaceable solutions, we are seeing the work of Jesus.
12. Shepherd: We see Jesus not only as a helpless lamb but as a capable and caring shepherd. He states: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep" (John 10:11). Whenever we see someone putting themselves at risk to save another, we see Jesus.
13. Good news for the poor: In Isaiah 61 and Luke 4, we find certain trademarks or ways of recognizing the Spirit of the Lord at work. When a law is passed which is good news for the poor and disadvantaged, when we see a homeless shelter receive funding and support, when we see social enterprises creating jobs for those who have limited access to the workforce, this is the Spirit of Jesus in action.
14. Freedom for the prisoners/set the oppressed free: (Isaiah 61 and Luke 4) Prisoners in the first century were not only those who had committed crimes, but those who could not pay their debts. All prisoners long for freedom, not only from being confined, but from the very circumstances which landed them in prison, especially if those circumstances included some form of injustice. When we see people released from prison (be it spiritual, physical, social, mental, emotional, or a result of systemic injustice), the good news of Jesus is present.
15. Recovery of sight for the blind: (Isaiah 61, Luke 4) During the ministry of Jesus, several people had sight physically restored to them. However, many others (especially the political and religious leaders of the day) were never able to really see Jesus, even when he was right in front of them. There were notable exceptions such as the centurion at the cross, Jairus, and Joseph of Arimathea. When blinders are removed and people see truth for the first time, Jesus is present.
16. Hungry people, thirsty people, strangers, naked people, sick people: Jesus tells a story of a king (referring to himself) who commended people for giving food to hungry people, providing drink for those who were thirsty, welcoming strangers into their homes, clothing those without covering, and tending to the needs of the sick. These destitute people, Jesus indicates, were the king himself. "Whatever you did to the least of these, so you did to me" (Matt. 25:40). Whenever we see a person who needs food, drink, friendship, clothes, or care, we are encountering Jesus.
17. Strangers: Another story of God as a stranger is found in Genesis 18. Three men come to visit Abraham and Sarah. Abram invites them to stay for a meal, and as the story progresses, we discover that these visitors are in fact messengers from God. Then, the language changes to indicate it is YHWH in the flesh, come to confirm the covenant with Abraham. Abraham welcomed God in disguise as hungry, thirsty, strangers.
18. Small gatherings around Jesus: Jesus indicated that wherever 2 or 3 are gathered in his name (identifying with his message and mission and action), Jesus is present (Matt. 18:20). We sometimes say, "God showed up," when we experience a particularly moving or meaningful presence of the Spirit. However, Jesus is there in all our gatherings which honour him, even when it feels insignificant or empty.
19. The body of Christ, the church: I know it is rather obvious that Jesus is present in the church (1 Cor. 12:27), but sometimes it is hard to see, especially when there is so much dysfunction in our communities. Let me make it easy for you. The next time you are in a meeting of the church, glance over at the person beside you. That person carries the image of God. As a follower of Jesus they are a member of the body of Christ. Jesus is sitting right next to you.
20. You. Sometimes we view Jesus as someone outside of us, present in the church, or creation, or in great moves of God, but quite absent from our every day, mundane life. But if the Spirit of Jesus is in us, if we are part of the body of Christ, then we carry the presence of Jesus with us everywhere we go. We do not have to look any further than our own life to see that Jesus is with us.
I have given you 20 examples of where we can see Jesus. There are many more. I admit, it is not always easy to find Jesus in the midst of busy, chaotic, troubling, painful, challenging lives. When we find it hard to see Jesus, we can ask the Spirit to give us eyes to see. And we can practice by looking closer, looking slower, looking with more love and kindness. Mother Teresa served the poor, the despised, the outcast, and the dying in India. She said, "Every day I see Jesus Christ in all his distressing disguises." May it be so for us as well.
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[1] Eugene H. Peterson, As Kingfishers Catch Fire, (New York, Waterbrook, 2017), 152.
Image from fourpoundsflour.com
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